Washington, D.C., partner Elliot Feldman, leader of Baker Hostetler’s international trade practice, was quoted in a March 18, 2009, Reuters article, "U.S. Lawmaker Blasts China Food Safety."
According to the article, the United States has "serious issues" with food imports from China and needs to do more to prevent contaminated products from entering the U.S. food supply, per U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the head of an influential appropriations subcommittee that oversees the U.S. Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration. China recently complained to the World Trade Organization about a U.S. law that blocks imports of Chinese poultry products, a law put in place by DeLauro's committee.
The ban on Chinese poultry puts the United States in an awkward position, said Feldman. China can export chicken to other nations without issue, and Congress did not consider any evidence of problems with Chinese chicken when it made its law, he said. President Barack Obama and lawmakers, including DeLauro, say U.S. food safety laws are outdated and need reform after several food safety scares in recent years. "The Chinese rightly say, 'What's wrong with our chicken?' and rightly ask, 'What about your food products?'" Feldman said in an interview. "We're in a glass house on these questions," Feldman said.
Click to read the full article from the Reuters website.